Overcoming: Life Lessons From the PsalmsSample

He Raises, Lifts, Seats, and Settles

“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 113:7-9

Resurrection. Redemption. Rescued. Restoration. Renewal. Reconciliation. Favored. Esteemed. Fulfilled. Healed. Raising. Lifting. Seating. Settling. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. These are some of the favorite words contained in the language of Heaven. These are the words that rise out of victorious spiritual warfare.

This Psalm was one of the Psalms sung by the Hebrew people while they ate their annual Passover meal. The Passover meal was a part of an annual Jewish holiday called The Passover. The meal and the entire holiday celebrated the Biblical story of the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt. This Psalm begins and ends with ‘Hallelujah,’ often translated as Praise the Lord. It begins and ends with praise for the One who raises, lifts, seats and settles.

He RAISES!

Raising is His specialty! He is the Lord of Raising. To those who are poor mentally, emotionally, relationally, physically, and spiritually, He can raise! To the one who is completely spent and has no resources to rise, He can raise! To the one who is covered in this world’s dust of hardship and pain, He can raise! It is what He does. And He is really good at it! He can raise to life those who have died in their heart to a dream and hope. He can raise to life those who have suffered a death in a marriage, in a relationship, or a career. To those who have died in their spiritual hunger for Him and His Word, He can raise. To the one whose health has fallen, He can raise. Raising from death to life is what He does best. Need I remind you of the greatest raising in human history that happened in Jerusalem? He raises and is the Risen King!

Praise the Lord; He is the King of Raising!

He LIFTS!

Lifting is another one of His specialties! Those whose lives have been thrown upon the ash heap—He lifts. Those who have engaged in behaviors that left their strength and health in ashes—He lifts. Those who would be regarded as discarded—He lifts. Those who have been heaped aside—He lifts. When our strength has faded, His has not. When our arms cannot lift us, His can. Those who are in need because they have no resources to lift themselves—He lifts.

Praise the Lord; He is the King of Lifting!

He SEATS!

He is the Heavenly Maître d’ that provides a seat for His children. To the one who is always left out, He includes. To the one who has no place, He makes a place for them. To the one who has been dishonored and ignored, He can give honor and seat them in places of favor. He sees the one no one sees. He hears the one no one listens to. He includes those who others have not thought to include. To the silenced, He gives a place to be heard. To those who have fallen into shame, He sanctifies and lifts them to an honored place. To the darkened self-esteem and self-respect that isolates, He heals and calls forward. He reunites and reconnects. At His table, all can find a seat. In His presence, all have a place.

Praise the Lord; He is the King of Seating!

He SETTLES!

To the hopeless, He brings hope. To the discouraged, He intervenes. To those in dispute, He can settle the issue. To those who have questions and no answers, He can step into the unsettledness and calm the heart. He brings peace to the disturbed and confused. He calms the anxious mind. He settles the internal conflict. He settles the grieving. To the childless mother, He births a settling miracle within her heart. He can settle what no one can.

Praise the Lord; He is the King of Settling!

As He was to the Hebrew people, He will continue to be to us. Let us always remember He is the Lord and King of Raising, Lifting, Seating, and Settling. Therefore, as the Hebrew people did, let us also do. For those who have experienced His Raising, Lifting, Seating, and Settling, sing His praises.

For those who need a raising, lifting, seating, or settling, lift your voice as best as you can and start with the Psalmist's first statement, “Praise the Lord.” Continue in your moment of worship by saying to Him, “Lord, despite my situation, and because of my situation, I still declare you as the one who raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.”

The Scriptures are the language of heaven we can speak. More importantly, we can pray them back to the Author of the Language, the Lord, and, in doing so, be assured of properly expressing our hearts. Sometimes, we do so in thanksgiving for what He has done. Other times, we do so in faith in what we are asking to be done. In both scenarios, let us Praise the Lord.